Igor could become Category 5 hurricane in Atlantic

By The Associated Press
| 4:18 a.m.Sept. 13, 2010

This NOAA satellite image taken Monday, Sept. 13, 2010, at 01:00 AM EDT shows Hurricane Igor located about 1005 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. This category 4 hurricane produces maximum sustained winds of 150 mph as it moves westward at about 13 mph. Meanwhile, disorganized cloudiness and showers highlight a low pressure trough over the central Caribbean Sea. There is a 40 percent chance of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next couple of days as it moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is possible over portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Cuba. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides especially in mountainous terrain. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Julia is located about 60 miles south-southeast of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)
— AP

This NOAA satellite image taken Monday, Sept. 13, 2010, at 01:00 AM EDT shows Hurricane Igor located about 1005 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. This category 4 hurricane produces maximum sustained winds of 150 mph as it moves westward at about 13 mph. Meanwhile, disorganized cloudiness and showers highlight a low pressure trough over the central Caribbean Sea. There is a 40 percent chance of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next couple of days as it moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is possible over portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Cuba. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides especially in mountainous terrain. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Julia is located about 60 miles south-southeast of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)
/ AP

MIAMI 
Powerful Hurricane Igor threatened to become a Category 5 storm Monday as it churned far out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Igor was at Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph (240 kph). But the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Igor could reach Category 5 strength later in the day.

Igor was located about 940 miles (1,515 kilometers) east of the Northern Leeward Islands and was moving west near 13 mph (20 kph). A turn toward the west-northwest was expected Monday night or Tuesday, the hurricane center said.

Also in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Julia was moving westward, away from the southern Cape Verde Islands. Julia was about 85 miles (130 kilometers) west-southwest of the southernmost islands and moving west-northwest near 14 mph (23 kph). The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph).

Officials issued a tropical storm warning for parts of the Cape Verde Islands including Maio, Sao Tiago, Fogo and Brava.